Zeus
"All who have challeneged my power have fallen at my feet, wrought in defeat. You will be no different." Origin Zeus is the youngest of six children born to Kronos and Rhea, the king and queen of the Titanes. It was prophesied by Ouranos that the children of Kronos would usurp his rule as he had once done to his father. Unwilling to relinquish his power, he devoured each child born until Gaia finally convinced Rhea in her grief to deceive the king. She gave birth to Zeus in a cave and returned to her husband with a stone wrapped in cloth, which he promptly consumed. He was raised by Gaia who fed him milk from Amaltheia. The daimon Melisseus brought him honey, while the Kouretes, appointed to guard the cave and infant Zeus, shouted and clashed spears against shields to muffle the cries. When Kronos would overlook his kingdom, the nymph Adamanthea would dangle him by a rope from a tree to escape his father's gaze. When matured, he returned to the kingdom and won the affections of Metis. She slipped Kronos an emetic which caused him to disgorge the devoured stone and unharmed children. With his siblings restored they freed the Kyklopes and Hekatonkheires and declared war upon the Titanes. Artifacts Anax Astrapeos The Kyklopes rewarded Zeus' kindness by forging him the Anax Astrapeos (king's thunderbolt), a powerful thunderbolt mighter than any other weapon known to the Theoi. Lightning seen by terrestrials originated from the weapon, ripping through the skies with awesome force. The weapon allowed Zeus to defeat the dreaded Typhoeus, becoming renowned as the most powerful of the Theoi with his victory. Anax Aegis Hephaistos fashioned the Anax Aegis (king's windstorm, goatskin) from the skin of Amaltheia after she passed away. A hundred gold tassels were woven around it, and when shook it rumbled like thunder while clouds gathered above. Family Metis Zeus, ruling as king of the Theoi, took as his first queen Metis, for her knowledge and good counsel surpassed all. From her, Gaia and Ouranos counseled that children surpassing in wisdom would be born, including a son who might bring forth a weapon stronger than the thunderbolt, Anax Astrapeos, who would usurp his father from the throne as each son had done so before. Zeus deceived the fair daughter of Okeanos to metamorph into a fly and devoured her as his father had done to his siblings, unknowing she was already pregnant with their child. During the passing years Zeus took another queen all while the crafty counselor began forging a helmet and sewing robe for her daughter from within. The hammering caused the lightning lord immense headaches, which was partly responsible for the king's intense temperament. Ater suffering the vile migraines for numerous years with no cure in sight Prometheus and Eileithyia, at the instruction of Zeus, cleaved his head with a hammer, in turn giving birth to Athene from his mouth on the river banks of Trito. Keeping Metis within so no one could surpass him in wisdom, the Theoi believed Zeus had given birth to Athene through parthenogenesis, of his own accord, a act which was believed to be exclusive to the powerful Protogenoi, which filled his current wife, Hera, with jealousy. Themis Horai Next he led away bright Themis who bare the Horai (Eunomia, Dike, and Eirene) who mind the works of mortal men. The changing Horai brought on the time for labour to be paid and guarded the gates of Olympos. Moirai The Moirai (Klotho, Lakhesis, and Atropos) were given the greatest honor. At the birth of each man they appeared spinning, measuring, and cutting the thread of life. Hera Lastly, he made way to seduce Hera, who demanded to be made his blooming wife. Their union brought forth Hebe, Ares, Enyo, and Eileithyia. When Zeus gave birth from his own head to Athene, Hera was very angry and quarreled with her king. Because of this strife she claimed to bare without union a glorious son, Hephaistos, who excelled all in crafts. Consorts Marriage turned out to be a vow Zeus could never seem to uphold. His lust for women, Theoi or Terrestrial, led to him enjoying numerous consorts. The affairs incurred the wrath of Hera, who through her marriage had become rightful queen of the Theoi which entitled her to great power. Some of the scions joined their father among the Olympioi, while others remained on Terra accomplishing heroic deeds. Leto Zeus' first affair was with the Titanide Leto. When Hera discovered Leto was pregnant with Zeus' child, she forbade her from giving birth on earth and kidnapped Eileithyia to prevent her from aiding the labor. She journeyed the earth in dismay until she found the floating island of Delos. She promised the people that her son would always be favorable to them in return for allowing her to give birth. She first gave birth to Artemis and then to Apollon the next day. Demeter Zeus came to the bed of all-nourishing Demeter, and she bare fair Persephone. Mnemosyne Mnemosyne for nine nights lie with Zeus, and when a year was passed and the seasons came round as the months waned, she bare nine daughters. The Mousai were all of one mind, whose hearts are set upon song and their spirit free from care. Maia Maia typically avoided the Theoi, hiding in a cave of Cyllene. Under the cover of night Zeus snuck into the cave, and the daughter of Atlas bare glorious Hermes, the herald of the Theoi. Semele Semele was a Terrestrial priestess of Zeus, and on one occasion he observed as she slaughtered a bull at his altar. Afterward she swam in a river to cleanse herself of the blood. Desiring what he saw, he repeatedly visited her in secret. Hera discovered the affair after she became pregnant. Hera deceivingly befriended Semele, who confided in her that the father of her child was Zeus. Hera pretended to dismiss such notions, causing Semele to doubt her lover's true identity. Curiousity caused Semele to demand that Zeus reveal himself in all his glory as proof of his divinity. Though Zeus begged her not to ask this, she persisted and he was forced by oath to comply. To his dismay he revealed his true form, immolating Semele to her demise. He rescued the fetus and sewed it ino his thigh, later 'giving birth' to Dionysos. Dione Dione presided over the oracle of Dodona, and was an early consort to the king. Their union resulted in the birth of Aphrodite, who was so beautiful that Zeus took her to Olympos. The story of Aphrodite being born from the castrated genitals of Ouranos was told to conceal his relationship with the Okeanid. Alkmene Alkmene's husband, Amphitryon, was away at war avenging the death of her brothers. Zeus, enamored with her beauty, disguised himself as her husband the day before Amphitryon returned, and seduced her. Having enjoyed the company of both men, she became pregnant as a result heteropaternal superfecundation, two ova becoming fertilized through two different acts of intercourse. Enraged at Zeus' infedility, Hera commanded Eileithyia to prevent Alkides, being the son of Zeus, and Iphicles, the son of Amphitryon, from being born when Alkmene called to her for aid. The servant Galanthis decieved Eileithyia, informing her the children had already been born. Surprised at the notion, she relinquished her spell over Alkmene and the twins were born. Herology The Apokalyptikos An age ago the children of darkness, disgruntled with their position of servitude, nearly brought the downfall of the Theoi, an alien race revered by the ancient Greeks. Their revolt ended in exile as they were imprisoned and banished from Mt. Olympos forever. Sealed within a fortress of darkness erected from the bowles of the earth, the ill messengers were long since forgotten...or so we thought. Category:Theos